KUCHING: Amendments to the Sarawak Public Holidays Ordinance are seen as crucial to providing certainty regarding replacement holiday mechanisms, thereby safeguarding the interests and welfare of workers across the state.

Kalaka Assemblyman Mohamad Duri said that clearer provisions are urgently needed, particularly when a public holiday falls on a Sunday or overlaps with another public holiday.

According to him, while the matter may appear minor from an administrative standpoint, it has a direct impact on workers, employers, and families who rely on confirmed holiday dates to plan their affairs.

“A good law must not only establish a regulation, but it must also be clear, easily understood, and consistently enforceable.

“In this context, the proposed amendment is vital to ensure replacement holiday mechanisms can be determined in a more orderly manner, thereby reducing confusion and conflicting interpretations among involved parties,” he said.

He said this when debating the Public Holidays (Amendment) Bill, 2026 during the Second Sitting of the Fifth Term of the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly here on Tuesday.

Elaborating further, Mohamad Duri said that under the proposed mechanism, if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will automatically serve as the replacement holiday.

He explained that if that Monday is also a public holiday, Tuesday will then become the replacement day, unless determined otherwise by the Governor of Sarawak as provided for under the amendment.

He added that clearer guidelines not only make it easier for the public to plan family and personal matters, but also assist employers in organising work schedules and operations more systematically.

“For workers bound by specific work rosters, certainty regarding replacement holidays is deeply meaningful because they need to know in advance when the actual days off are, allowing family plans, travel, and personal commitments to be properly arranged,” he noted.

In the meantime, he stressed that public holidays should not be viewed merely as dates on a calendar, but rather as opportunities for people to rest, spend quality time with family, and participate in social and community activities.

He also cautioned that the operational needs of certain sectors should not result in the neglect of workers' rights or arbitrary interpretations of legal provisions.

According to him, a clear mechanism will help employers understand their respective obligations, while enabling workers to know their rights and entitlements under the law in force.

Mohamad also described the effort to amend the Sarawak Public Holidays Ordinance as a timely and necessary step, given that the ordinance has been in force since December 16, 1946, and has gone unamended for far too long.

He noted that reviewing and enhancing relevant provisions must be carried out to ensure the law remains relevant to contemporary administrative needs and society.

Consequently, he expressed his full support for the bill to be passed by the Sarawak DUN. — UKASnews

Translator: Ryan Lim